AirMagnet Introduces 802.11n Wireless Networks Deployment Solutions

Sunnyvale, CA - AirMagnet Inc., the leader in security, performance and compliance solutions for wireless LANs, recently announced solutions to properly deploy and manage new 802.11n networks or integrate 11n into existing networks. The new products include AirMagnet Laptop Analyzer PRO 8.0 and AirMagnet Survey PRO 6.0, available as a suite or as standalone solutions, the new products provide the first comprehensive set of mobile tools specifically designed for pre-deployment planning and ongoing management of 802.11n networks.

"Everyone understands that 802.11n will significantly increase reach, reliability and throughput associated with WLANs, yet many IT managers are struggling with the impact this standard will have on new or existing networks," said Chia-Chee Kuan, CTO at AirMagnet. "AirMagnet Survey and Analyzer are already the leading mobile tools for planning and troubleshooting WLANs. This latest release addresses the two universal challenges that face all 802.11n deployments: getting true 11n performance versus theoretical performance, and phasing 11n gear into an established WLAN without doing a forklift upgrade."

"When we decided to run an 802.11n pilot program, we realized that we needed tools that could help us easily plan and understand the implications of the new 11n standard in our network environment," said Fred Archibald, Network Manger of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at U.C. Berkeley. "AirMagnet allows us to do just that. The software not only helped us plan the deployment and optimize our infrastructure to get the full benefits of 11n, but also provided us with the features and information we need for continuous performance and security management of our network."

AirMagnet Laptop Analyzer PRO and AirMagnet Survey PRO have been updated for educating users on the impact of 11n, simulating deployment scenarios, and optimizing ongoing security and performance management. Both products have been updated with new AirWISE® (AirMagnet's proprietary intelligence engine) educational features that explain and advise on some of the most common problems facing 802.11n network users. Additionally, the products have been updated with a variety of modeling tools that can streamline the planning process and can help answer questions such as, "What throughput changes can I expect as I deploy new APs or STAs in the environment?" or "What is the overhead in supporting legacy devices?"

"For any organization looking to leverage the enhancements associated with 802.11n, it is imperative to first model how the new standard will affect the environment. Then after deployment, ongoing management for performance and security is key to ensure operational efficiencies and a healthy 11n network," said Stan Schatt, vice president and research director at ABI Research. "AirMagnet's new 11n suite fills a definite gap in the marketplace. I think most network managers now are realizing that a ‘set and forget' approach doesn't work with a wireless office because it's such a dynamic RF environment. Decision making as to optimal coverage is an ongoing process."

Other new features include:

AirMagnet Laptop Analyzer PRO 8.0

• 802.11n Device Throughput Calculator that calculates and compares the expected performance metrics for an 802.11n Access Point based on user input for 802.11n parameters.
• WLAN Throughput Simulator that captures the existing infrastructure environment and calculates the network throughput and overhead under user-specified conditions. It also allows the simulation of new APs or stations with specific capabilities and shows the impact on performance.
• Tools to help users get the maximum value out of their 802.11n infrastructure, by analyzing conversations between the AP and station, and pin-pointing areas where the 802.11n high throughput options are not being well used (and delivering solutions to fix the problem).
• Learning Assistant that provides detailed explanations in plain, straightforward language on key 802.11n technologies behind the protocol. This helps users better understand the technology requirements for deploying or optimizing 802.11n infrastructure.
• The ability to automatically detect 802.11n issues including co-existence problems with legacy devices, 802.11n device mis-configurations, QoS issues and more.
• Channel Occupancy and Interference Analysis features to get a "bird's eye view" of RF Spectrum usage by 802.11 devices.

AirMagnet Survey PRO 6.0

• With 802.11n fundamentally changing the way site surveys are conducted – and signal strength no longer being a good predictor of network performance – AirMagnet Survey is the only solution to allow users to conduct active and Iperf surveys to take multipath at every location into account. This enables users to get real uplink and downlink (varies based on the capabilities of the sender and receiver) data rates, packet retries and packet loss information.
• Users can verify if the 802.11n network meets the design goals and educate themselves on the issues of meeting or not meeting certain requirements. Users can verify their readiness for a Greenfield or mixed-mode deployment, the device MCS Index and the use of the 20/40 MHz Channel width.
• New coverage maps that verify the operational mode (Greenfield, Mixed or Legacy), MCS Rates and the channel width implementations of the 802.11n devices in the network.
• WLAN Throughput Simulator tool that helps optimize the network deployment by capturing the existing infrastructure environment and calculates the network throughput and overhead under user-specified conditions. It also allows the simulation of new APs or stations with specific capabilities and allows users to view the impact on network performance.

"Our company focuses on delivering professional services in the wireless space. Therefore, with 802.11n coming into the picture, it's critical to our business that we understand the new standard and how to effectively roll it out to customers," said Brian Vincent, Business Development Manager at Velociti, Inc. "AirMagnet is the only vendor we know of that offers a mobile toolset for planning, deploying and managing new 11n networks. The company's 11n suite has really helped us to better understand the technology and streamline our deployments."

AirMagnet is also announcing a custom-built AirMagnet 802.11a/b/g/n Wireless PC card to support the new versions of AirMagnet Laptop Analyzer PRO and AirMagnet Survey PRO.

SOURCE: AirMagnet Inc.